Hughes Electronics Corporation provides digital direct broadcast systems such as DIRECTV® and DIRECPC™ that broadcast via satellite, television programs and information or computer applications, respectively. DIRECTV® broadcasts television programming in a similar fashion to that of terrestrial television. DIRECPC™ subscribers place requests that are queued up and broadcasted, to the subscriber's computer. DIRECPC™ services on-demand requests. DIRECTV® and DIRECPC™ incorporate encryption in addressing for applications such as on-demand requests. These systems provide access control where users make selection decisions in advance of the content being broadcast.
Another type of system, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,935, issued to the present assignee, is a virtual on-demand digital information delivery system. In this system, a central distribution server directs a variety of programs to various users based upon a filtering predictive scheme located at the subscriber's local storage. During off peak hours various programs are downloaded to the subscriber's local storage.
The systems described above are all satellite-based systems. That is, each of the systems delivers content directly from a network operations center to a satellite which broadcasts the information to the users. Such systems, however, require the placement of a satellite dish on the building in which the service is used. The satellite dishes must be positioned in a location on the building so that they are positioned toward the geostationary satellite generating the broadcast signals. If the “view” to the satellite is blocked by trees or other buildings, the service cannot be used. Also, some consumers view the satellite dishes as not aesthetically pleasing.
Broadcast systems are typically not used for point-to-point information delivery services because many people must receive the same content at the same time in order for it to be cost effective. It would therefore be desirable to provide an over-the-air broadcast system to provide point-to-point information.